Under Armour All-America Game Position Preview: Cornerbacks

Welcome to our in depth coverage of the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game. We will presenting previews of all the positions through out the week. This thirteenth preview will look in depth of all the cornerbacks in this year’s game.

#2 Jeryl Brazil| Loranger HS | Loranger, LA | 5’10, 184 | LSU
Committed to LSU since July 2012, Brazil is consider one of the best corners in the nation. He is ranked the 8th best overall corner in the nation, according to ESPN. What makes Brazil the player that he his is because of his speed and versatility. Both of those factors allows him to be an excellent playmaker in the backfield. Brazil is ranked the 58th best player overall on the ESPN 150 rankings and also holds other offers including those from Alabama, Florida State and Arkansas. Brazil also has participated in The Opening.

#14 Maurice Smith | Dulles HS | Sugar Land, TX | 5’11, 174 | Alabama
Smith is one of the most elite high school cornerbacks in the nation. According to ESPN, he is consider the 12th best overall cornerback while being rated 83rd overall on the ESPN 150 player rankings. Some of the things that make Smith stand out include his instincts, ball skills and providing run support as well as defending the pass in zone coverages. Smith has also been a participant of Gridiron Kings and The Opening. Smith has been committed to Alabama since June and also held other offers including ones from in state schools Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Baylor.

#24 Vernon Hargreaves III | Wharton HS | Tampa, FL | 5’11, 185 | Florida
Florida Dairy Farmers Association Class 8A Player of The Year, Hargreaves will be taking his talents just two hours north to Gainesville, to play for Will Muschamp and the Florida Gators. Hargreaves is consider the best overall cornerback in the nation, according to ESPN and holds the 3rd best overall ranking on the ESPN 150 player rankings. Hargreaves has great instincts and ball skills that allows him to put the pressure on in man and zone coverages. Hargreaves also holds other offers including ones from in-state schools Florida State, Miami (FL) and hometown school, South Florida.

#4 Noel Ellis | Edna Karr HS | New Orleans, LA | 5’10, 175 | Texas A&M
Texas A&M is getting a cornerback in Noel Ellis who has tremendous instincts and coverage skills. Those traits were proven as a senior at Karr HS (LA) when Ellis, the 162nd ranked recruit on the ESPN 300, had eight interceptions on the season, returning four of them for touchdowns. Ellis helped lead the Karr Cougars to a perfect 14-0 season and the Louisiana 4A state title.

#6 Cam Burrows | Trotwood-Madison, HS | Trotwood, OH | 5’10, 200 | Ohio State
Not only is Cam Burrows teammates with fellow Ohio cornerback Gareon Conley at the Under Armour All-America game, but the duo will also be teaming up together in college, having both committed to Ohio State. Burrows, the top rated cornerback in Ohio and 39th player overall on the ESPN 150, committed to the Buckeyes a year ago this month. As a junior at Trotwood-Madison HS, Burrows was the key defensively in leading the Rams to an undefeated 15-0 record and the Ohio Division II state title.

#7 Gareon Conley | Washington HS | Massillon, OH | 6’1, 165 | Ohio State
Conley, the 62nd ranked player on the ESPN 150, committed to Ohio State in December 2012, joining Cam Burrows to create a dynamic duo at cornerback for the Buckeyes. At 6’1, Conley is the tallest listed cornerback at the Under Armour All-America game, giving Team Nitro a defensive weapon to cover the towering wide receivers on Team Highlight.

#8 Artie Burns| Miami Northwestern HS | Miami, FL | 6’0, 183 | Miami (FL)
Artie Burns is just an overall amazing athlete. Not only is he ranked as a top ten cornerback on ESPN, but Burns is nation’s No.1 hurdler with the top times in the 110-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. However, Burns is committed to the University of Miami to play cornerback. Burns hopes to make an immediate impact at Miami like his former high school teammate and 2012 Under Armour All-American, Amari Cooper, has done at Alabama.

#21 Shaq Wiggins | Sandy Creek HS | Tyrone, GA | 5’10, 165 | Georgia
If you are like most sports fans and see the name Shaq, you think of NBA Legend and 7-footer Shaq O’Neal. This Shaq, however, doesn’t posses the same size at only 5-foot-10, but he brings all the speed and athleticism you need to be a great cornerback. Wiggins, the 34th ranked recruit on the ESPN 150, had ten offers from SEC schools but chose the Georgia Bulldogs back in February 2012. Wiggins also led the Sandy Creek Patriots to an undefeated 15-0 record and the Georgia 3A state title. Another notable player out of Sandy Creek High is Detroit Lions all-pro wide receiver, Calvin Johnson.